Shank piece



Jall- 14, 1930 J. w. APPLETON v 1,743,548

SHANK PIECE` Filed Nov. 5, 1927' Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE yf JOSIAH WILLIAM APPLETON, FV ROCKLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 EMER- SON SHOE MANUFACTURING-COMPANY, OF ROCKLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPO- BATION oF MASSACHUSETTS SHANK PIECE.

Application ledN'ovember 5, 1927. Serial No. 231,253.

This invention relates toshank pieces for shoes and pa-rticularlyto shank pieces of the type relied upon to shape ythe shoe bottom and to conform theV contour of the insole to f the shape of the last bottonnin. addition to stiffening the shank `.ofthe shoe.

lVith such purpose in view, my invention contemplates the provision of a'shank piece shaped ingeneral to act as a filler for the shoe bottom and being thickened at one edge to build up the insole at a corresponding point.

A further feature of the invention consists in interengaging the metal stiifener with the body part of the shank vin such manner as to maintain the forward edge of the metal `stiffener out of Contact with the outsole, so

that in long continued wear there shall be no `danger of the metal edge cutting its way out through the outsole.

It is within the scope of my invention to include in my novel shank piece a metatarsal pad and, when this is included, it is disposed at the forward end of the shank preferably covering the end of the meta] sti tfener which projects upon the upper or inner surface of the shank.

Inasmuch as the contour of the insole and organization of the shoe is determined in large measure by my novel shank, the shoe structure which includes a shank shaped to fill the bottom, to build up the insole at desired points and to stiffen the outsole is also within the scope of my invention.

These and other features of my invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the body portion of the shank piece.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of the part shown in Fig. l.

Fig 3 is a plan view of the complete shank piece.

F ig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the sole bottom with my novel shank piece incorporated therein.

The body portion of the shank piece is i Y responds in general to the'heel seat and shank -portionsof a shoe bottom between the insole ribs or the lasted margin of the upper and it is extended transversely at its forward end to correspond to the widened portion of the bottom approaching the ball line. Y This "L lateral enlargement is non-symmetrical, being more pronounced on the inside shank edge. ItV will be noted also by reference to Fig. 4 that the inside shank edge of the body portion l0 is thickened. This is for the `purpose of building up the insole ata corresponding point to form a leveled bottom'for an outsole and thusv cause the insole to fit thel last bottom and the foot of the wearer. The body portion 10 is provided with an oblique transverse slit 12 adjacent to its forward end through which may be passed the forward end of the metal stiffener 14. The metal stiifener -14 is made of sheet metal molded to the required shape and preferably convex in cross section as shown in Fig. 4. At its rear end it is provided with perforations 16 by which it may be-tacked in place vupon the lower or outer surface of the body -member 10 of the shank piece.' Its forward end'is anchored in placeby being passed through the slit 12, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3.

Vhen it is desired to incorporate a inetatarsal pad inthe shank a pad 18 of sponge rubber or other flexible A-material is assembledin the shankand may have a portion of its periphery drawn into the slit 12A above the metal stiffener 14. Thisv location not only `retains the pad in place but provides additional protectionv between the forward edge of the stiffener and the surface of the may be held in place by a tack. The outsole 22 is then laid and stitched in the usual manner, the body of the steel stifener being located upon the outsole surface except at its forward end where it passes through the slit in the body of thejshank piece. It will be seen that the inside shank portion of the insole 20 is built up under the corresponding portion of the arch of the wearers foot and that a curved projection is formed in the insole under the ball of the foot by the metatan sal pad 18, also that the outsole is stiffened and given a characteristic shape by the shank The shank by its novel and unusual const-ruction incorporates more desirable features in one commercial unit than heretofore and makes practicable the production of corrective shoes in quantity. 'Io illustrate,-when an upper is lasted over the insole the upper leather, counter lining, and stays form a hollovs7 or pocket under the heel seat, which, when depressed by putting on the heel often causes a hollow in the heelpseat surface. The leather or body portion of my shank by its peculiar form fills this space, not with metal butl with material through which the heel nails can be driven. It then continues to the longitudinal arch of the foot and being of leather or similar' material it can be skived, molded or otherwise shaped .in form so thatJ it exactly fits the last bottom on which it is -to be used. VIf the last requires a high curve the body of the shank is shaped so as to fit that curve and if the last requires a low arch the same rule applies but the steel stiffener may remain the same. rIhe body of the shank forms an even surface transversely from seam to seam, requiring no filling and leaving no pockets or air spaces between the outer Vsole and insole at this point. The

molded form of the steel piece being on the under side permits the use of a molded outsole. Thus the under side of the complete shank is a perfect fit for the outsole and the upper side is a perfect i'it for the arch of the wearers foot.

Thus having described my invention, I

. claim portion, a metal stiHener tacked to the body portion at its rearl end and anchored at its forward end by passing into the slit and a metatarsal pad anchored by the slit.

' 3. A shank piece for shoes comprising a body member shaped to fill the sha-nk portion of the shoe bottom and being thickerV at its inside shank edge than at its outside shank edge to build up the corresponding portion of the insole, and a metal stiffener located upon the lower surface of the body member except at its forward edge where it passes through the body member and lies upon its inner or upper surface.

4. A shoe construction including a shank piece having a body portion thickened at its inside shank edge, a metal stiffener interengaged with the body portion at its forward end and a metatarsal pad at the forward end of the stiener, together ,with an insole built up at its inside shank edge by the correspending thickened edge of the shank body portion to form a leveled bottom for an outsole, and an outsole maintained in engagement with th-e body portion of the shank piece and the metal stiffener except at the forward edge of the latter.

5. A shoe construction including an insole, a molded metal stiffener, a shank body shaped at its under side to fit the molded form of the bottom from seam to seam thus providing a surface shaped for supporting they insole.

J. WILLIAM APPLETON.

larged transversely at its forward endto fill v the shoe bottom, and slitted in said enlarged 

